Apparatus for handling articles for coating



June 9, 1931. R. F. BRIMER APPARATUS FOR HANDLING ARTICLES FOR COATING Filed Aug. 17, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet ,l

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A TTORNE Y.

R. F. BRI MER June 9, 1931.

APPARATUS FOR HANDLING ARTICLES FOR COATING 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 17, "1927 INVENTOR. Zak/7* F 3/2770" .H'TORNEY.

Patented June 9,, 1931- BQBER'I. 1'. 31mm or WASHINGTON, DISTRICT or conumam urm'rus non nANnniNe ARTICLES ron comma I Application filed August 17, 1927. Serial No. 213,636.

M invention relates to improvements in coating, and particularly to apparatus for coating confections.

At the present timeblocks ofice cream are applied to sticks and coated with various 1 flavoring syrups and other edibleisubstances which adhere to and harden on the surface of the ice cream. The ice cream is frozen in a mold of predetermined dimensions and when the cream has reached the proper consistency'sticks are'inserted into the mass of frozen cream at regular spaced intervals. The product is then stored in a very cold vat until ready for use. 7 W In the manufacture of the individual blocks of ice cream on sticks the firststep is to cut-the mass of frozen cream intoia plurality ,of blocks between the rows of sticks,

then to separate the blocks, to dip each one in a coating liquid, shake it to remove surplus coating,'and finally to stand each block up to harden the coating by inserting the end of the stick in a. hole in a support. While the coating is hardening bags are i placed over the blocks while in upright 0-" sition, and then the blocks are again han ed individually in packing them in the containers. All of this work is done .by hand, and

- it is necessar for the workmen to grasp each :0 stick indivi ually in handling the blocks,

all of which requires ext period of time. i v v A With the foregoing in mind,-.an-important object of my invention is to overcome the above difiiculties -by providing a device which is operableto collectively or individually seize and release any number of sticks holding blocks of ice cream without touching the ice cream or sticks with the'hands, and without the aid of other implements. Another object of the invention'isto provide a device which is desi ed to grasp, separate, d-ip, shake andpaci a-numberof blocks of ice cream orconfections at 'one -time. A further object of the-invention is to provide an apparatus for handling articles which have a projecting stick or other handle'and provided with means for guiding the articles into the gripping means.

ralabor and a long- It .is also an object of the invention to' provide a device of the above character which is extremely. sure in operation and simple and durable in construction,

Other objects and advantages of'the invention will become apparent during thecourse of the following description which is to be read in connection with the accome .panying drawings, in which .Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a device embodying my invention in closed position;

' 'Fig. 2 is a rear elevation. of. the same device shown in extended position holding anumber of stick confections and mounted upright in a support;

F'g. 3 is a sectiona of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a si grippingjaws in open position;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary. end

view of the device with gripping jaws in,

open position; and

Fig. 6 is a view s during packing operation. 1 Referring to the drawings, the numeral 10 designates afrectangulan rigid metal frame provided with a hook 11 at one end; A- plurality of members 12 of channel cross sec- 'tion are provided with openings-13 in their sides 14 to receive one rod of the frame 10 and form abearing for partial rotation of the frame, and to slidably mount the members 12 on the frame. The sides 14'taper to a'narrow width at the ends 15 of .the members 12 for a -purpose to be later described, and at their other ends the members .12 are crimped into or provided with substantially V shaped'mouths with opposite spaced pairs of cars 17 and 18 forming a notch 19. Each of the members 12 is also provided with l viewon' the line 3-3 de elevation of the devicewith I howing the device-in use aligned openings 20 thru-the sides 14 at a" v --right angles tothe members 12 to form a gripping jaw 25 operable within the notch 19 against the V, shaped mouth of the members 12, and the other end of the member 21 is bent or flared upward from the pivot point 22 toward the rod of the frame opposite to the rod to which the members are attachedv A spring 26 is mounted around the pin 22 with its arms bearing against opposite surfaces of the members 12 and 21 and normally urges the grippingj aw against the V shaped mouth of the members 12.

Each of the members. 12 is slidably mount ed on the frame 10 and collective uniform -movement of the members 12 along the frame 10 is obtained by means of the lazy tong 27 secured to the members 12 by means of the rivets 28 which slidably operated in the longitudinal slots 29 in the members 12, the slots 29 defining one means of limiting movement of the members 12 along the I frame, while the ends of the frame too serve to limit the sliding movement of the members. A bar 30 extends across the center of the frame 10 to separate the members 12 into groups and to maintainthe members 12 in centralized position on the frame. A hook 31 is also provided on the frame 10 to cooperate with the bar 30 in maintaining the members 12 in centralized or predetermined position on the frame and to'prevent the frame 10 from rotating more than is necessary around thebearings 13 of the members 12. By this arrangement one rod of the frame is maintained in position above the flared ends of the members 21 for partial rotationtowards the members 12 to collecping members contracted into central position on the frame 10 and the jaws 25 down. By pressing the top rod of the framelO to turn it on its pivot 13 all of the flared ends of the members 21' are carried downward toward the members 12 which action raises the jaws 25 against the action of the springs 26 to open' position as shown in Fig. 4. It is assumed that the sticks are upstanding in rows ofcut blocks which must be separated, so the V shaped mouths of the members 12 are urged toward the sticks until the sticks slide evenly down into the bottom of the V and above the gripping jaw 25 at which time the pressure on the rod is released and the springs 26 automatically return the gripping jaws 25 to' closed position where they seize the sticks within the V mouth to firmly grasp them for handling. The members 12 are now opened by sliding along the frame 10 to separate the blocks of cream, as shown in Fig. 2, and the blocks of ice cream simultaneously dipped into the coating substance, and shaken. By referring to Fig. 2 it will be noted that a supporting frame 34 is provided with grooves to receive the ends 15 of the gripping members to holdthe apparatus in inverted position with the coated confections upright for hardening of the coating andin position to receive the bags 35. As soon as the bags are applied the apparatus "is removedfrom the support 34 and the members 12 are slidably moved alon the frame 10 to the position shown in Fig. 6 for packing, which operation'is effected by simply pressing against the top rod of the frame 10 to again open the jaws 25 and permit all of the confections to simultaneously drop into the container 36.

It sometimes happens that when the blocks are cut the rows of sticks are in staggered position. The V shaped mouth is designed to form a guide channel to align the sticks within the gripping jaws and greatly facilitate picking up'a row of blocks which 1 may be in staggered relation since the sloping sides of themouth permit a wide range 'of action and as pressure is exerted against the sticks they slide into the bottom of the V in position to' be grasped by the jaw 25, it being understood that the weight of the block of cream prevents tumbling.

I have provided the book 11 on the frame 10 to permit return of the apparatus to the table where the blocks are cut for a repeat of the dipping and packing operations. By providinga sloping track or wire to receive the hook 11 the return can be effected by simply hanging the apparatus on the track or wire by the hook 11.

I would also point out that the apparatus takes care of individual handling as well as collective handling, and any block is individually releasable. It sometimes happens that a block of cream is defective by reason of air bubbles, or other reasons, and in such case the operator has only to press on the member 21 which holds the defective block to effect release thereof without dumping the entire batch.

I have found that in practice the use of my device reduces labor by approximately 45% and increases the speed of production which is essential in handling lce cream.

The device is illustrated as carrying eightgripping members because that is the usual number of blocks of ice cream obtained from a cuttlng 1n the width of the molded mass,

but of course the number can be varied at will. It is also possible to combine two or .more frames carrying any number of gripping frames to handle more than one row of confections, and while I have described the device as particularly useful inhandling ice cream on sticks I would have it understood that I do not limit the invention to such particular use, nor to the size, shape, or particular materials and details which can be varied at will without departingbfrom the spirit of the invention or scope f the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. An article handling device comprising a frame, a plurality of gripping members slidably mounted on the frame and forming a bearing for partial rotation of the frame,

*said members being collectively releasable byrelative movement between the frame and members.

2. A device for handling stick confections comprising a pair of pivoted gripping members, a frame pivotally connected to said gripping members, the gripping members being slidably adjustable on the frame and collectively releasable by relative movement between the frame, and members.

3. The structure of claim 2 wherein the gripping members are provided with enlarged mouths forming a guide to align the articles to be gripped within the gripping members as the device is moved into engagement with the sticks. v

4. An article handling device comprising a plurality of members having mouths to ,receive the articles, means connecting said members together for adjustable lateral movement, a plurality of-grlpping members having a portion operable within said mouths to grasp the articles, and amember' engageable with said gripping members to collectively operate sald portions with respect to said mouths.

5. An article handling device comprisin a frame having spaced rods, a 'pluralityo gripping members associated with one rod and laterally adjustable withrespect thereto, said gripping members having-cooperat- 4 ing jaws operable by movement of the rod opposite the one with which the grippingmembers are associated.

6. In an article handling device, a plu- 5 rality of gripping members comprising a portion having upstanding pairs ofspaced ears, a substantiall V-shaped channel between said pairs 0 s aced ears, a member associated with said rst. member and hav- 55 ing a'portion operable between said pairs of spaced ears within said channel to grasp articles therein, means connecting said members for collective lateral adjustment, and means for operating said second members 60 collectively to grasp a plurality of articles in said channels.

v In testimony whereof I have hereunto attached my signature. f V v K i ROBERT F. BBIMER. 

